Jun 2, 2010

The Jew Card

Yesterday, an esteemed fellow blogger suggested I was playing the Jew Card in regard to my post entitled Damn Jews, which dealt with the ship intervention. I know that the last thing Israel wanted was the operation to result in deaths, and world controversy. Books will be written about the incident, but this post concerns the Jew Card. To me, playing a card refers to bringing up a topic, as an excuse or distraction from the more relevant issue. There is no Jew Card, only one excuse after another for anti-semitic acts throughout history and geography. The current excuse is Israeli oppression. There was no Israel to explain why my paternal grandparents fled the pogroms of Russia in the 1890's. There was no Israeli occupation to explain why all my maternal relatives from Hungary died in the concentration camps in the 1940's. Yesterday, a former U.S. diplomat aboard one of the ships said that the Israeli's were armed to their teeth, even though they were carrying paint ball rifles. The Turks didn't riot in 2003 when the two main synagogues were bombed in Istanbul.There was no world outrage when the Jewish Community Center was bombed in Buenos Aires. The internet is full of allegations that 9/11 was an Israeli plot. If the Jews have a card, it is called survival. My fellow blogger should drive by a synagogue on a Jewish holiday. He may wonder how the Jews feel needing a police officer outside, to be safe praying inside, even in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

ADDENDUM: THE DOUBLE STANDARD. THE WORLD WAS QUICK TO BLAME ISRAEL. A LOCAL ESTEEMED BLOGGER CALLED THE DEATHS MURDER, HE WENT ON TO SAY; The proof of Israel's guilt lies in its feeble attempts to control what messages are going out concerning this atrocity.NOW THAT TAPES HAVE SURFACED SHOWING THE "PEACE ACTIVISTS" PREPARING WEAPONS TO BEAT THE ISRAELI'S TO DEATH, AND HOPING TO PROVOKE A RESPONSE, AND EVEN THEIR OWN DEATH, SHOULD NOT THE CONDEMNERS CONCEDE THEIR ERROR? IS POINTING OUT THAT DOUBLE STANDARD PLAYING THE JEW CARD?DELETIONS: THIS BLOG IS THE "EARLY MORNING EDITION" OF THE LOCAL BLOGOSPHERE. I TEND TO POST VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING. THREE VIDEO'S WHICH HAVE APPEARED IN THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS AS ADDENDUMS, HAVE BEEN DELETED TO RESTORE CONCISENESS TO THE ORIGINAL POSTS. IT IS MY INTENTION TO CONTINUE WITH TEMPORARY EARLY MORNING VIDEO'S AND LINKS WHICH ELABORATE ON THE POSTS.

"To me, playing a card refers to bringing up a topic, as an excuse or distraction from the more relevant issue. There is no Jew Card, only one excuse after another for anti-semitic acts throughout history and geography."

No question that Jews have been tormented for thousands of years. No question that Israel is fighting to survive. No question that yesterday, you played the Jew card.

Israeli elite commandos just murdered 9 people on the high seas, in international waters. You defended this piracy and derided critics with the "damn Jews" remark, which you also made the headline of your blog. That solves nothing.

Those who do not agree with 100% of all aspects of Israeli foreign policy are often called anti-Semitic, and that's playing the Jew card. It is an "excuse or distraction" from something more relevant, In this case, that happens to be the murder of 9 innocent people. Are their lives unimportant?

Israel over-reacted. You have over-reacted to my criticism. Now those who really do hate Irael will over-react, and so the cycle will continue.

bernie, yes, one can criticize israel without being anti-semitic. there are even jews, both in america and israel, who are critical of israeli policy. yet, there must be something else which accounts for both the zeal seen in anti-israel protests, and the indifference to worldwide attacks against jews.

you have twice now referred to the "murder" of innocent people. you have even proclaimed "proof" because of grainy film and alleged media suppression.yes, their lives are very important, but even the grainy film suggests that the israeli soldiers were forced to defend themselves. btw, two soldiers were shot and one was stabbed.

The frustration and emotion on both sides of this issue is due to the protracted hostilities between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Israel has nuclear weapons and the backing of the United States Defense Umbrella. Perhaps it has a greater responsibility here. Surely these hostilities benefit no one. "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." M. Ghandi

This elite commando unit put itself in that position. I refer to it this way bc that is what it was. It was not an anti-riot unit, which has much more experience settling people down. Higher levels sent in the shock troops. Perhaps another mistake?

I will agree with you that the anti-Israeli zeal that you (and I) notice, as well as the worldwide indifference about attacks on Jews, is certainly anti-Semitisim. No argument from me on that point.

I also understand the precarious situation for Israel, so there will be what I call over-reactions from time to time. If truth be told, it's something of a miracle that it happens so infrequently.

But I do believe Israel over-reacted in this instance. Those soldiers were inserted in a situation where they could immediately claim self-defense and fire away. It is in international waters. I have used the word "murder" repeatedly bc I think that it may very well be murder. But I'm willing to concede that the individual soldiers themselves are not murderers.

Israel soon may have to make some decisions that will be widely regarded as aggressive. We all know Israel cannot allow Iran to become nuclear-capable. That's why it needs to build as much good will as possible. It did not help itself with the attack on this flotilla.

gary, israel's enemies are in their back yard, it would be suicidal for them to use nuclear weapons.

bernie, the "grainy" (your word) tape shows israeli troops dropping down, not firing, even though they see their fellow soldiers being beaten. only after their small sidearms were taken, and two were shot, did they start defending themselves. would a DA in america call that murder, or self defense?

The IHH (the group sponsoring the boat) is a terrorist organization. The goal of those on the boat was to either break the blockade or become martyrs.

It is truly sad that so many - including many in our media and our government - are willing to use this staged event as an excuse to condemn Israel. That they continue to do so despite video footage of the soldiers being beaten is even more appalling.

I can't help but wonder if there would be a similar outcry if the boat were trying to land in Manhattan, and OUR soldiers were trying to stop it.

bernie, although i will not get into quotes and links, some reports out of turkey indicate that certain elements were hoping for a confrontation on that ship; consider that the five other boats were boarded without incident

MM: My point was not that the Isrealis could use nuclear weapons but rather that the state of Israel is not threatened. There will be no holocaust. That issue is a canard. Israel must step up to the plate as a 21st century democracy and cease fighting as if it were under a realistic threat. The Palestinians want peace and their homeland. "Give peach a chance." J. Lennon

Bernie O'Hare:But I do believe Israel over-reacted in this instance..I will grant Israel could have sent in the correct personnel but that doesn't change the fact these people intended to create a confrontation. They would have started a fight if the Israeli government sent in Girl Scouts..Israel does not hide the fact they will pass along any aid to the Gaza strip after they inspect that aid for weapons..One can dicker all day over international law concerning the high seas, but the so called humanitarians were spoiling for a fight and apparently they intend to challenge the blockade again..Maybe this time Israel should just sink the ships.

Even NPR acknowledged in a roundabout way that radical elements associated with Hamas and other terrorist groups were directly involved in this effort. The “peace activist” they interviewed who was on one of the ships said that fact was “irrelevant”. It may have been irrelevant to him but it surely couldn’t be to any responsible government that is charged with the duty of protecting its citizens from sworn enemies.

"Israel is guilty until proven guilty...We will never apologize for defending ourselves...Israel should not be held to a double standard...the Jewish State has a right to defend itself like any other state."

Too bad the United States does not have a REAL leader to stand up for them, as does Israel.

A canard fueled and sustained by Iminadinnerjacket himself, who pursues nuclear weapons and declares Israel should be wiped from the face of the Earth. Iran gets operable nuclear weapons, you can bet your ass they will try.

Gee, who to trust on this one? The those who live in an open and free society (to the extent they can given they have to watch their backs 24/7) or the ROPERs.

Of course they don't. They thrive because the Israelis and Americans use military and economic might as a primary method to achieve their ends. We need to look at ourselves and send peaches not soldiers. Give peach a chance, Rolf! (with a name like Rolf, you better support the Israelis!

"The German government on Monday expressed shock at Israel's attack...German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle had telephoned his Israeli colleague Avigdor Lieberman and requested a comprehensive investigation, including DEMANDING a QUICK clarification of the fate of FIVE GERMAN NATIONALS who are believed to be on board.

German news channel N-TV reported that the five Germans include Inge Hoeger and Annette Groth, BOTH MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT OF THE GERMAN LEFT PARTY."

A U.S. citizen was among those killed in Israel's flotilla raid Monday, the AP reports. ABC News, quoting the Anatolian news agency, reports that Dogan was shot at "close range, with four bullets in his head and one in his chest."